linux-kernel - [PATCH v4 10/11] x86/vmscape: Override conflicting attack-vector controls with =force

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Message-ID: <20251119-vmscape-bhb-v4-10-1adad4e69ddc@linux.intel.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:20:06 -0800
From: Pawan Gupta <pawan.kumar.gupta@...ux.intel.com>
To: x86@...nel.org, David Kaplan <david.kaplan@....com>,
	Nikolay Borisov <nik.borisov@...e.com>,
	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>,
	Josh Poimboeuf <jpoimboe@...nel.org>,
	Sean Christopherson <seanjc@...gle.com>,
	Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@...hat.com>, Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
	Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>
Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, kvm@...r.kernel.org,
	Asit Mallick <asit.k.mallick@...el.com>,
	Tao Zhang <tao1.zhang@...el.com>
Subject: [PATCH v4 10/11] x86/vmscape: Override conflicting attack-vector
 controls with =force

vmscape=force option currently defaults to AUTO mitigation. This is not
correct because attack-vector controls override a mitigation when in AUTO
mode. This prevents a user from being able to force VMSCAPE mitigation when
it conflicts with attack-vector controls.

Kernel should deploy a forced mitigation irrespective of attack vectors.
Instead of AUTO, use VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON that wins over attack-vector
controls.

Signed-off-by: Pawan Gupta <pawan.kumar.gupta@...ux.intel.com>
---
 arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c | 6 +++++-
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
index d12c07ccf59479ecf590935607394492c988b2ff..81b0db27f4094c90ebf4704c74f5e7e6b809560f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c
@@ -3197,6 +3197,7 @@ static void __init srso_apply_mitigation(void)
 enum vmscape_mitigations {
 	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_NONE,
 	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_AUTO,
+	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON,
 	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_EXIT_TO_USER,
 	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_ON_VMEXIT,
 	VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_BHB_CLEAR_EXIT_TO_USER,
@@ -3205,6 +3206,7 @@ enum vmscape_mitigations {
 static const char * const vmscape_strings[] = {
 	[VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_NONE]			= "Vulnerable",
 	/* [VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_AUTO] */
+	/* [VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON] */
 	[VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_EXIT_TO_USER]		= "Mitigation: IBPB before exit to userspace",
 	[VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_ON_VMEXIT]		= "Mitigation: IBPB on VMEXIT",
 	[VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_BHB_CLEAR_EXIT_TO_USER]	= "Mitigation: Clear BHB before exit to userspace",
@@ -3224,7 +3226,7 @@ static int __init vmscape_parse_cmdline(char *str)
 		vmscape_mitigation = VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_EXIT_TO_USER;
 	} else if (!strcmp(str, "force")) {
 		setup_force_cpu_bug(X86_BUG_VMSCAPE);
-		vmscape_mitigation = VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_AUTO;
+		vmscape_mitigation = VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON;
 	} else {
 		pr_err("Ignoring unknown vmscape=%s option.\n", str);
 	}
@@ -3259,6 +3261,7 @@ static void __init vmscape_select_mitigation(void)
 			vmscape_mitigation = VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_NONE;
 		break;
 	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_AUTO:
+	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON:
 		/*
 		 * CPUs with BHI_CTRL(ADL and newer) can avoid the IBPB and use BHB
 		 * clear sequence. These CPUs are only vulnerable to the BHI variant
@@ -3381,6 +3384,7 @@ void cpu_bugs_smt_update(void)
 	switch (vmscape_mitigation) {
 	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_NONE:
 	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_AUTO:
+	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_ON:
 		break;
 	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_ON_VMEXIT:
 	case VMSCAPE_MITIGATION_IBPB_EXIT_TO_USER:

-- 
2.34.1